Chapter 3

Angela

Two Months After Book One

Nothing calmed Angela's mind like an early morning run. She developed the habit in college and now needed it more than ever. During the three months following the press conference, she attended more meetings and briefings than she had for the rest of her term. This was the first morning in longer than she could remember where nothing was scheduled for her. She wanted to take full advantage of it.

No matter what cover-up story her people created, someone found fault with it or used it to fuel a new conspiracy theory. It seemed like every computer nerd with even a few minutes of free time felt it was their business to question the government. More than one meme circulated of Angela's stunned face at the press conference, and talk shows still discussed the explosion and the man flying away. Angela missed the days when there was no social media or internet.

She cued up her favorite playlist, reminding her of her home in Tennessee. It was her go-to for times when she felt homesick. Her muscles fought her as she stretched one calf and the other, making her feel old.

Patty, her Giant Schnauzer, stepped up next to her and sat.

"Do you want to go running, too?" Angela scratched behind the dog's ears.

When the dog perked up and walked in a tight circle, Angela took that as an affirmative.

Blake walked up to them, holding the leash in front of him. "She's practically begging to go on a run with us."

Angela took the leash, bent close to the dog, and clipped it onto her collar. "I forget you can hear her thoughts."

Blake shrugged. "Dogs are easy to understand once you learn how to listen. They are easier to read than people."

She straightened and looked at him. It was hard to know if that remark had a hidden meaning. They had not spent any intimate time together since coming home, and it was too difficult to guarantee they wouldn't be interrupted.

At least, that was the excuse she gave herself and him.

Since returning, Alistair had made it clear that a personal relationship with a dragon would not go over well with the American people. It didn't matter that her body craved his touch and his kisses. Jumping' June bugs, even the thought of his kisses left her weak. It had been difficult to send him away night after night, but it was even more complicated when he stopped asking to be with her. He'd also stopped touching her, and that hurt. It hurt a lot.

He claimed to understand, but his actions said something different. She wanted to smack him upside the head more than anything most days. He had been the first man she'd been with since Oliver died. That alone made things complicated, but given that she was the President of the United States, and everyone sat on judgment of her actions, it made it even more complex.

Blake turned his back to her and walked to a window, opening the curtain a little to see outside. "It looks like it might rain. Are you sure you want to run outside?"

"Yes. I need to be outside to remind myself what the real world is like. A little rain won't hurt any of us."

His chin jutted out to the window. "Do you think it's more real out there than here?"

She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. He sounded grumpier than usual.

This is not going to work.

"Who is running with us?"

Blake held up his wrist and spoke into the radio integrated into his watch. Angela quickly learned that shifters do not return to human form with their clothes or anything else they have on their body. The first time Benji saw a naked guard on his detail shift, Angela ended that. They lost many communication devices before they created a spelled watch. When shifters wore it, they shifted back with their clothes and radios. At first, they shifted away from human sight, but that wasn't always practical. Most of them complained about wearing the watch, but when Blake placed himself in charge of Angela's protection detail, he never allowed anyone to protest, and if they did, he replaced them.

"Iris is getting the paper, and we must leave before it rains."

A few voices answered back, but she didn't recognize them.

Iris was her codename, and "getting the paper" was the code for the morning run. If she ran at night, they said "walking the dog." It was a carryover from her old security detail.

Thinking of Sam Mosley and the old FBI agents who guarded her tugged at her heartstrings. She and Sam butted heads a lot. He thought she was too open to strangers. She told him if the American people voted her into office, she owed it to them to be friendly. Sam and several members of his team died when Marine One blew up. Angela should have died that night, too. The investigation was still ongoing. However, she and Blake believed it was a deliberate attack.

She made it a priority to meet with each of the families to share her condolences. Alistair had been very adamant about spending her time attending to more important matters. She disagreed with him and did what she wanted.

Nikki Carter joined Angela. "Good morning, Madam President. I have submitted my resignation for approval. This will likely be our last run, provided you are okay with me joining you."

Angela reached out and touched the woman's arm. "I've already told you I am not letting you resign."

"With all due respect, Ma'am, your son was kidnapped while I was guarding him. That is unacceptable as far as I'm concerned."

Benji learned to evade his guards and wandered away from them that day. Keyser, a demon, disguised himself as an old man who worked as a janitor in Benji's school. He befriended the boy and used that relationship to lure Benji away and kidnap him for Xerxes. It was too late when Nikki realized he was missing.

At the time, Angela did not realize that Nikki was an alicorn shifter. Without her skills as a tracker and ability to fly, the FBI would not have found Keyser's apartment. Unfortunately, it was too late, and he had already left, but Nikki trusted her instincts and knew something was wrong. She found a car bomb attached to Keyser's truck and saved many people's lives that day.

Angela wrapped her arms around Nikki's neck and hugged her. The woman remained stiff but patted Angela's back once. "I know you blame yourself, but kids have a way of doing things that make caring for them very hard. I will not let you leave."

Nikki scrunched her face in confusion. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again, nodding once.

Three more guards joined them, and Blake signaled they were ready.

The morning sky was still black, and Angela's breath steamed in the cold.

Blake ran next to her. Even without speaking, she had no trouble sensing the strain between them. It would be much easier if she could stay mad at him, maybe even learn to dislike him. But even with their tension, he still treated her like a queen. He opened doors for her, always letting her walk in front of him, helped her with Benji, and listened to her talk about the job.

So many mixed signals.

It only took a few minutes for Angel's muscles to relax as she ran at an easy pace. They ran through Lafayette Square to St. John's Episcopal Church. Patty jerked on her leash as Angela stepped onto the church grounds. It didn't make sense why her dog chose this spot to do her business, but she did every time.

Blake nodded to one of the men running with them. The best part of running with a detail is she didn't have to take care of her dog's poop. That is one perk she would gladly accept.

A trash truck stopped across the street from them. A worker hopped off and threw two bags into the truck. He noticed the group running and waved to Angela. Robert had stopped to talk to her every morning she saw him. Sam had been worried he was a terrorist in disguise, but she knew good people when she saw them.

She slowed and ran in place.

"Good morning, Madam President. Winter is coming fast," Robert said.

"I know. That's why I'm out this morning. We may not have many more mornings that we can run. Are you an early Christmas shopper or a last-minute one?"

"Last minute, for sure. How about you? Do you get any time off to celebrate the holiday?"

"Well, you know what they say? No rest for the wicked."

"Madam President, I don't think there's a wicked bone in your body. You've been exactly what this country needs. You're running again, aren't you?"

"I'm not sure. Would you vote for me if I did?"

"You know it."

She noticed Blake's expression. He was more patient with her when she stopped to talk to people than the previous FBI detail, but that look meant he was ready to keep moving.

"Gotta keep going. If I don't see you before Christmas, have a good holiday, Robert." She started running again.

"You, too, Madam President," Robert called to her.

She turned around, running backward for a few steps to wave at him, turned, and returned to her previous pace.

Six miles later, they ran onto the White House lawn and in through a back door. Angela and Blake went upstairs to her apartment. She greeted the guard, who stood beside the door just inside the residence. He had been one of the shifters who stood outside Benji's room the previous night. The guards rotated through a twenty-four-hour shift. She hated the idea of them working that long without a break, but Blake assured her they were fine. Shifters were stronger than humans and didn't need as much sleep.

Penny met them at the front door, her tablet in hand, ready to work.

"Penny, the sun just came up. Don't you sleep?"

"Yes, Madam President, but you have a busy day."

"I had hoped you were here to tell me everything was canceled."

Blake walked to the kitchen without saying anything. Angela had reached her limit with him, so she stomped after him. He was pouring cereal into a bowl. He stopped, looked at her, and continued.

"What is wrong with you?" she asked.

He swallowed a bite of cereal. "What makes you think something is wrong?"

"You are nice and attentive one minute and cold, refusing to talk the next."

"I haven't refused to talk to you. We are talking now, aren't we?"

She waved a finger between them. "This isn't talking."

She waited for him to respond. He didn't. But what he did made her even more furious. He put the bowl in the sink and stepped toward her until she had to back up against the opposite counter. He held the counter on either side of her, trapping her. She hugged her arms to her chest. He lowered his face until their lips almost touched.

"Maybe I'm not talking to you because I want to do more than talk."

His breath was hot against her face, and the smell of cedar and citrus swirled around her, making it hard to focus on anything but him. She licked her lips and focused on his mouth. They were hot and sweaty, but none of that mattered.

"What else do you want to do?" she whispered.

He didn't answer her. She could hear his heart beating against hers and feel his arm muscles tense. The pressure of his ever-hardening cock against her midsection drove her mad. She wanted to put it in her mouth and taste him. She wanted to stroke his shaft and feel him grow. Wetness pooled between her legs, and the ache was too much. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard.

He was so close, but he didn't kiss her. Instead, he whispered in her ear, "We will do much more again when you realize that you are my mate and fully give yourself to me." He pushed off the counter and walked out of the room.

Angela wanted to cry. She was frozen to the floor.

Penny walked in and, thankfully, never looked up from her tablet. "You start this morning with the swearing-in ceremony. The speech writer gave me your speech yesterday. I read it. It's pretty good, but I have one suggestion that might make it better."

Blood returned to Angela's head, and she shook off her disappointment. Why did they have to be mated? What did that even mean? He was a dragon, and she was a human. They couldn't have a normal relationship outside of her living space. Too many people were watching, and they were all too quick to give their opinions without being asked.

"Madam President, are you feeling okay?" Penny asked.

No, no, I'm not.

"Yeah, I'm okay." She glanced down at the folder Penny held. "Is that the speech?"

Penny narrowed her eyes for a heartbeat, inhaled quickly, and slowly handed the folder to Angela.

Angela took it. "When is the ceremony again?"

"In three hours."

Angela checked her watch. "Good, that gives me plenty of time for a long shower." She headed out of the kitchen.

"Tsk, um, not really."

Angela searched her memories to remember what else was happening this morning. "What did I forget?"

"It's Benji's first day back to school. You have a parent-teacher conference before school and wanted to take him."

How could I forget that?

Penny recognized the confused look because she said, "I'm sure I can reschedule the conference if you'd like."

Angela plastered on her best I've-got-it-all-under-control smile. She was a modern mother who could balance her family and professional life. But what about a romantic life? Would there ever be time for that?

"Nonsense. I've been looking forward to this."

"I've arranged for the school secretary to give me periodic updates on Benji's well-being throughout the day. I will pass those along to you."

"I don't remember asking you to do that."

"No, Ma'am, you didn't. I had a gut feeling it would make you feel better."

"Will Benji know about these updates?"

"The secretary assured me she will make sure to stay discreet."

Angela reached for Penny's hand and squeezed. "You are the best. I will never let you go because I could never replace you."

Penny's cheeks reddened. "Working with you is easy. It's an honor."

Angela walked out of the kitchen when she heard feet stomping down the stairs. Benji ran down and sat at the table where Flossie Nunn, the nanny, sat engrossed in the morning's paper.

"Hey, kiddo. Don't you look handsome this morning," she said.

Benji's face blanked and snapped, "I'm not a kid anymore."

"Benjamin Stryver Bishop, you will mind your manners, young man."

He bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Mom."

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to."

Benji raised his face and at least had the decency to look apologetic. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Flossie. I just don't want to be referred to as a kid. I'm almost a man."

Flossie set down her paper. "You know what? You're right, and you just proved it to me. I'm not used to you being all grown up, so it will take me a little bit to switch the gears in my head. Can you give me some time to get used to it?"

"Yes," Benji said.

"Yes, what?" Angela demanded.

"Yes, Ma'am." Benji shrank in his chair and started eating his breakfast.

It was hard to know the long-term ramifications of Benji's kidnapping. One minute, he seemed like a normal kid, and the next, he seemed lost. It was hard enough to raise a kid in everyone's focus.

How did the other presidents do it?

Oh yeah, their wives did it.

Angela rolled her eyes to the ceiling, counted to ten, and then finished her coffee.

"Madam President, we need to get you dressed if we are going to make it to the school in time," Penny said.

Blake walked back into the dining area. "Where are we going?"

Angela tried to fight it, but her heart skipped a beat, and a large butterfly landed in her stomach. Did he know the effect he had on her?

"Benjamin's school," Angela said.

Blake nodded his head once.

Two hours later, Angela finished the conference, thanked the principal and school counselor, and steeled herself to trust the school and Benji's detail to keep him safe.

Her stomach clenched before she reached the door, and she stopped. Her eyes scanned the student artwork on the walls, the various motivation posters, and the attached activity flyers. She turned to look behind her and saw a line of students walk into the library.

"Madam President, are you okay?" Penny asked.

Blake, who had been holding open the door for her, stepped next to her. "What's going on?"

Angela met Blake's eyes. She knew he had asked her something, but his words weren't registering in her brain. A cold chill rocked through her body, and she took hold of his arm to steady herself.

This school was where her worst nightmare began. Several presidents, politicians, and foreign dignitaries had sent their children to this school, which was supposed to be the safest in the area. But Benji had been kidnapped here. How could she ever trust them again? It didn't matter that an entirely new security system had been installed and employee background checks were more strenuous than before. Knowing what Angela knew now, she knew anyone could get to Benji if they wanted to.

"I can't leave him here," she whispered to Blake.

He put his hand over hers. "Yes, you can. You need to get back to your life. He's as safe here as he is at home." He lowered his head to her ear and whispered, "Three teachers work with Operation Excalibur. Every janitor was replaced with a minotaur, and trust me, no one wants to mess with them. I placed two fairies in the kitchen, and there are several elves who can pass for students."

Angela stepped back and placed a hand over her heart. "Oh. I didn't know you did all of that."

He gave her a half smile. "Your son is as important to me as if he were my own." He cocked his head. "Would you like to see him before we leave?"

She smiled. "Do you think we should? I don't want to embarrass him more than he already is."

Blake asked Penny, "Do you know his schedule?"

Penny tapped on her tablet. "Yes. He's in PE at this point."

Angela turned to her assistant. "You have his schedule?"

"Yes, Ma'am. His teachers email their class schedules to me every week. I don't know everything, but I know where he will always be."

Angela's chest tightened. Penny's forethought touched her. She turned her head between Penny and Blake. "Thank you. Thank you to both of you."

"If we keep to the back of the gym, he wouldn't notice you," Penny said.

"Would you like to do that, Angela?" Blake said.

She nodded.

They walked to the other end of the hall and stopped outside a set of double doors. Blake asked the other guards and Penny to stay outside. He pushed one of the doors open and waited for Angela to walk through.

It didn't take Angela more than two seconds to find Benji. He dribbled a basketball down the court before he passed it to another boy. Nikki walked up to them.

"Madam President." She nodded once to Angela and then to Blake. "I didn't expect to see you again this morning."

Angela's face warmed. "I just needed to see him again before I left."

"I understand," Nikki said.

"It's not that I don't trust you. It's just hard to let him out of my sight."

"I completely understand that. Again, I am prepared to step aside and let someone else guard him if it would make you feel better."

Angela put her hands on her hips. "Are you going to let anything happen to Benji again?"

"No, Ma'am."

"I believe you, and I need you to stop talking about leaving." She put her hand on Nikki's shoulder. "I'm afraid you're stuck with us."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Angela watched Benji for a few more minutes, then headed toward the door. Blake followed her.

When they stepped out into the hall, she said to Blake, "Thank you for doing all this. I'm not sure the FBI could have handled this like you have."

Blake lowered his face, and his lips brushed her cheek. Angela stiffened and stepped back. They had talked about public displays of affection. She was the President of the United States. She couldn't kiss in public or be kissed, especially when there were still so many rumors about who Blake was and what had happened to Marine One.

Blake gave her a low growl and glowered at her. That pissed her off, and she walked past him without even looking at him.

She had a country to run. He was going to have to deal with it.